State Briefs 6/30/08

Monday

GALESBURG – Residents in the neighborhood behind and around the Hy-Vee Food Store on East Main Street confirmed a body was found near a store dumpster Monday morning.

Askley Wells and Candy Carothers, two women who live on Ohio Street, said the Galesburg Police Department removed the body of a man inside a fenced-in area along Adams Street at the rear of Hy-Vee.

Galesburg Police duty officer Lt. Rodney Riggs declined to make any comment. He declined to confirm a body had been found and said the information will be available through a press release later Monday evening.

The victim was sent to the Knox County Coroner to determine cause of death.

Galesburg Register-Mail

Two injured by drunk driver in parking lot

WESTMONT – Three vehicles were struck and two people were hospitalized Friday night in Westmont when a man drove drunk through a Jewel-Osco parking lot.

According to a police department press release Howard D. Stewart, 61, of Clarendon Hills, was arrested by Westmont police at about 11:25 p.m. Friday after he allegedly hit three parked cars — two of which were occupied — a stop sign and a shopping cart while driving his 1998 Ford Explorer through the parking lot.

Police said a man loading groceries into a 1998 Nissan Maxima was injured when Stewart’s vehicle struck the open rear passenger door, causing the door to close on him.

The pedestrian and an occupant of a vehicle that was struck were transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove by the Westmont Fire Department.

Westmont EMS Director Lt. Lynn Dralle said Monday morning she could not release any information about the victims or their injuries.

Deputy Police Chief Tom Mulhearn said Stewart’s vehicle came to a rest near the Hobby Lobby parking lot, on the east side of Jewel-Osco.

Police said Stewart was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. His vehicle was impounded due to his arrest.

Suburban Life Publications

Caterpillar to build excavators in China

PEORIA – Caterpillar Inc. announced it will make small hydraulic excavators in China so help meet demand for its products in emerging markets.

The excavators, which will be less than 20 tons each, will be made in Nanjing, Jiangsu province in a new plant Caterpillar will begin building in early 2009, the company said in a news release issued late Sunday evening locally, which was Monday morning in China.

Caterpillar officials signed an investment agreement with Jiangning Science Park Administrative Committee to put the plant, which will be wholly owned and operated by Caterpillar, in the Science Park district.

Caterpillar intends to begin construction of the 365,000 square foot manufacturing building in early 2009 pending appropriate governmental approvals.

Caterpillar has been increasing its commitment to China for several years and now has 16 operations in that country — both wholly owned and joint venture businesses — that employ nearly 7,000 people.

Journal Star, Peoria

Driver trying to swat bee hits bus

PEORIA — A Monday morning accident involving a CityLink bus and a car sent up to 14 people to local hospitals.

No one was seriously injured in the 10:30 a.m. crash at University Street and Gale Avenue, officials said, but victims complained of sore backs and necks.

The accident occurred when the driver of a sedan, going northbound in the left lane of University, was trying to swat at a bee, Peoria traffic officer Javier Grow said at the scene.

The driver lost control of the vehicle and swerved into the right lane where it slammed into the back of a stationary CityLink bus that was about to let people off.

Both drivers and about a dozen passengers were transported to area hospitals.

The bus was carrying 27 people. Those who were not taken to the hospital were later transferred to a replacement bus, and their route continued.

No citations were issued at the scene, but Grow said citations are likely.

The accident had passersby weaving around the scene for more than an hour as paramedics attended the injured and police investigated.

Journal Star, Peoria

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